2 weeks agoThe Detroit Lions agreed to terms with free-agent defensive end Marcus Davenport (ankle) on an undisclosed one-year deal on Monday, according to sources. The former first-round pick (14th overall) of the New Orleans Saints in 2018 out of Texas-San Antonio spent last year with the division-rival Minnesota Vikings and produced just seven combined tackles and two sacks in four games (three starts) due to a high-ankle sprain. The 27-year-old pass-rusher is going to be forced to prove himself yet again to see if he can stay healthy for a full season, something he's never been able to do in six NFL seasons. In a career-high 15 contests in 2022 in his final season with the Saints, Davenport was only able to produce 29 tackles (16 solo) and half a sack, so anything the Lions are able to get out of him will be a plus in 2024.Source: NFL Network - Mike Garofolo
2 weeks agoFree-agent cornerback Chidobe Awuzie agreed to terms with the Tennessee Titans on an undisclosed three-year deal on Monday, according to a source. Awuzie, a former second-round selection by the Dallas Cowboys in 2017 out of Colorado, spent the last three campaigns with the Cincinnati Bengals and produced 57 tackles (43 solo), six passes defensed, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 15 games (10 starts) for the Bengals last year. The 28-year-old should come to Tennessee as a guaranteed starter as they look to improve their secondary. Awuzie isn't on the IDP fantasy radar entering next season and has a total of 369 tackles (273 solo), six interceptions, 62 passes defensed, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in his seven NFL seasons to date.Source: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
2 weeks agoThe San Francisco 49ers signed free-agent defensive end Leonard Floyd to a two-year, $20 million deal on Monday worth up to $24 million, according to a source. Floyd will receive $12 million guaranteed in the first year of the deal in 2024 and will give the Niners some much-needed pass-rush help alongside All-Pro defensive end Nick Bosa. The 31-year-old former ninth overall pick by the Chicago Bears in 2016 out of Georgia had double-digit sacks (10.5) for the second time in his career in 2023 with the Buffalo Bills and also added 32 tackles (21 solo), nine tackles for loss, 19 QB hits and a forced fumble in 17 regular-season games (16 starts). Floyd isn't all that trustworthy in IDP fantasy formats, but he's been extremely durable and hasn't missed a game in the last six seasons.Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
2 weeks agoFormer Seattle Seahawks linebacker Jordyn Brooks agreed to terms with the Miami Dolphins on Monday on a three-year, $30 million deal. Despite seeing a drop in production in 16 games in his fourth season with the Seahawks in 2023, Brooks was still relevant in IDP fantasy leagues at his position with 111 tackles (62 solo), a career-high 4.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss, five QB hits, an interception returned to the house, four passes defensed, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. The 26-year-old was hurt by the return of fellow tackle machine Bobby Wagner last year, but now that he's in Miami, Brooks could once again become an every-week, must-start linebacker in IDP formats. In the last three seasons, Brooks has a whopping 274 solo tackles and 6.5 sacks.Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
2 weeks agoFree-agent tight end Noah Fant is re-signing with the Seattle Seahawks on Monday for two years and $21 million, according to sources. The former first-round pick of the Denver Broncos in 2019 out of Iowa has over 2,800 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns in his five NFL seasons with Denver and Seattle. He hasn't been much more than a TE2 in fantasy, though, and he really disappointed last year with a career-low 32 receptions on 43 targets for 414 yards and no touchdowns in 17 starts. The good news is that both Will Dissly and Colby Parkinson are headed elsewhere in free agency, so perhaps the 26-year-old Fant is able to rebound as a more-involved pass-catcher in 2024. Until that happens, though, he should be left on the waiver wire in 12-team fantasy leagues.Source: Bleacher Report - Jordan Schultz
2 weeks agoNow that wide receiver Calvin Ridley is officially on the free-agent market and unlikely to re-sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars following their pickup of Gabe Davis, the New England Patriots are expected to make a push for him. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler also lists the Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers as potentially being in the market for a receiver like Ridley. After being suspended for all of 2022 due to gambling, Ridley caught 76 of his 136 targets for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns with the Jaguars in 2023. The Patriots already re-signed Kendrick Bourne, but Ridley would probably be their No. 1 wideout if he were to land in New England, and he'd be a big upgrade over the likes of current starters JuJu Smith-Schuster and Demario Douglas.Source: ESPN.com - Jeremy Fowler
2 weeks agoThe Buffalo Bills restructured the contract of quarterback Josh Allen on Monday, converting much of his 2024 compensation into a signing bonus to create $16.7 million in 2024 salary cap space. Allen's updated 2024 cap charge is now $30.356 million. The Bills are in a slightly better situation salary cap-wise, although they did lose receiver Gabe Davis in free agency to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday. Salary cap issues for the Bills aside, the 27-year-old Allen dealt with a right-shoulder issue midway through the 2023 season but never missed a game and finished as the most valuable fantasy QB with 4,306 passing yards, 29 touchdowns and 18 interceptions, but what made him elite were his 524 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. He'll be one of the first signal-callers to be selected in the early rounds of fantasy drafts this fall.Source: ESPN.com - Field Yates
2 weeks agoThe Jacksonville Jaguars signed former Green Bay Packers safety Darnell Savage to an undisclosed three-year deal on Monday, according to sources. Savage, a first-round selection (21st overall) by the Packers in 2019 out of Maryland, played in a career-low 10 games due to injuries and 2023 and finished with 51 tackles (36 solo) and just one pass defensed. The 26-year-old looked better at the start of his career with Green Bay than he has recently, but he'll still give Jacksonville's secondary an upgrade at the safety position moving forward. Savage lost his starting job with the Packers last season, but he'll have a new opportunity to earn a starting role in the defensive backfield with a change of scenery. Obviously, Savage is off the IDP fantasy radar for now.Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
2 weeks agoThe Arizona Cardinals agreed to terms with free-agent cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting on an undisclosed deal on Monday, according to a source. The former second-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will now head to the desert to try and fortify a struggling defense after spending one year with the Tennessee Titans. Last year with Tennessee, Murphy-Bunting had 57 tackles (42 solo), two interceptions, eight passes defensed, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 14 starts. The Cardinals added to all levels of their defense on Monday as they look to bolster a defense that was routinely carved up by opposing quarterbacks last year. The 26-year-old Murphy-Bunting should be expected to start across from Garrett Williams in Arizona's secondary in 2024, but he won't really be on the IDP radar.Source: NFL Network - Mike Garofolo
2 weeks agoVeteran cornerback Troy Hill re-signed an undisclosed one-year deal on Monday with the Carolina Panthers, according to a source. Hill, a former undrafted free agent, will return to Carolina's secondary in 2024 after picking up 48 tackles (30 solo), an interception returned for a touchdown, six passes defensed and a forced fumble in 16 games (three starts) in his first year with the team in 2023. The 32-year-old won't be guaranteed a starting role in his return to the organization, but the nine-year NFL veteran will give the Panthers some depth in their secondary nonetheless. In his nine NFL campaigns with the Panthers, Bengals, Rams and Browns, Hill has 382 tackles (281 solo), three sacks, nine interceptions (three returned for touchdowns), 40 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries (one returned for a TD).Source: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
2 weeks agoFormer New England Patriots linebacker Mack Wilson agreed to terms with the Arizona Cardinals on Monday on a three-year, $12.75 million deal worth up to $15 million, according to a source. The Cardinals have been busy adding to their defense in free agency on Monday, also adding defensive tackles Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols. The 26-year-old Wilson was formerly a fifth-round pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2019 out of Alabama. After spending the first three years of his career with the Browns, he recorded 39 solo tackles, five sacks, six tackles for loss, six QB hits, four passes defensed and three forced fumbles in 34 games (four starts) for the Patriots the last two seasons combined. While Wilson will give Arizona more linebacking depth, he can be avoided for IDP fantasy purposes.Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
2 weeks agoThe Cleveland Browns re-signed defensive end Za'Darius Smith to an undisclosed deal on Monday, according to sources. Coming off his third Pro Bowl season in 2022 in his only year with the Minnesota Vikings, Smith disappointed in 2023 in his first season in Cleveland, recording 27 tackles (18 solo), 5.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss, 20 QB hits and a forced fumble in 16 starts. Despite his lack of on-field production, the 31-year-old pass-rusher rated out well and started every game in which he was active. Smith will be playing in his age-32 season in 2024, and although he might not be able to secure double-digit sacks at this point in his career, he should remain a strong contributor on Cleveland's defensive line across from All-Pro Myles Garrett.Source: The Athletic - Dianna Russini
2 weeks agoFormer Miami Dolphins linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel agreed to terms on Monday on a two-year deal for $20 million with the Minnesota Vikings, according to his agents, Drew Rosenhaus and Ryan Mathan. The deal includes $14 million guaranteed. Van Ginkel heads to Minnesota after five years in Miami, where he recorded a total of 250 tackles (156 solo) and 17 sacks in 73 games played (42 starts). He had 69 tackles (42 solo), a career-high six sacks, eight tackles for loss, 19 QB hits, an interception returned for a touchdown, eight passes defensed and a fumble recovery in 17 regular-season games (11 starts) in 2023. While not exactly on the IDP fantasy radar entering the 2024 campaign, Van Ginkel should definitely have a starting role in his new digs next season.Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
2 weeks agoVeteran free-agent running back Austin Ekeler is signing with the Washington Commanders on Monday on a two-year deal worth up to $11.43 million, according to sources. Ekeler is headed to the East coast after seven seasons and 69 total touchdowns with the Los Angeles Chargers. The 28-year-old was extremely productive in his time with the Bolts, but he's coming off one of his worst statistical seasons in 2023 and is now heading to a Commanders backfield where he'll be expected to split the workload with Brian Robinson. On a side note, former Commanders RB Antonio Gibson agreed to join the New England Patriots. Gone are the days of Ekeler being a no-doubt RB1 for fantasy managers, although he still has the talent to be a highly productive RB3/flex option, especially in PPR leagues. In addition, the Commanders' signing of Ekeler is going to be bad news for B-Rob's fantasy ceiling.Source: NFL Network - Tom Pelissero
2 weeks agoFormer Las Vegas Raiders free-agent defensive tackle Bilal Nichols reached an agreement on Monday on a three-year, $21 million deal that includes $14.4 million guaranteed with the Arizona Cardinals, according to a source. The Cardinals also added defensive tackle Justin Jones in free agency on Monday, so the addition of both interior linemen will really shore up a weak spot in the middle of the defensive line for the Cardinals. The 27-year-old Nichols spent the first four years of his NFL career with the Chicago Bears before racking up 41 solo tackles, three sacks, eight tackles for loss, 13 QB hits and a fumble recovery for a touchdown in the last two seasons with the Raiders. Nichols can be ignored in IDP fantasy leagues, but he'll no doubt be a boost to Arizona's interior defensive line next season.Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter